The invention relates generally to splicing tools for thermally joining the butt edges of plastic conveyor belts and more particularly to splicing tools that rapidly release the butt edges from the sides of a heating wand.
Splicing presses are used to weld the butt ends of two thermoplastic conveyor belt sections together. Conventional presses include a pair of clamps, each of which holds one of the two belt sections. The clamps firmly hold the belt sections with the butt ends facing each other across a gap. A heating wand is moved into the gap, and the two clamps close until the butt ends of the belt sections contact opposite sides of the heating wand. As soon as the butt ends are softened or melted sufficiently by the wand's heat, the clamps are retracted so that the wand may be removed. Then the clamps are moved toward each other until the softened or melted butt ends meet. The clamps hold the butt ends together as the joint at their interface cools.
Although splicing presses as described work well with belts made of most thermoplastic materials, some materials, such as polyester, tend to stick to the sides of the wand when the clamps are retracted. This resulting loss of belt material to the wand diminishes the quality of the resulting joint. And the material that sticks to the wand has to be cleaned off. Thus, there is a need for a belt splicer that can work with belts made of sticky thermoplastic materials, such as polyester.